1 July 2025
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola praised the strength of the Saudi Arabian team that turned the tables on the European champions in a thrilling match in Orlando. Manchester City fell to a 4-3 extra-time defeat to Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal in a dramatic match at Camping World Stadium in the 2025 Club World Cup.
In a press conference following the match, Guardiola expressed his pride in his team's performance despite the loss, saying, "All matches are difficult at this stage. Al Hilal is a strong team, and our loss is not a surprise."
He added, "We allowed them transition opportunities, but we also created a lot. It's unfortunate, but I thank the players and the coaching staff for all their efforts."
With this result, Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal continues its brilliance in the Club World Cup, advancing to the quarter-finals after a thrilling victory over Manchester City. This sets up a fiery quarter-final date with Brazilian side Fluminense, who in turn eliminated Italian side Inter Milan next Friday evening.
